A news feature can be audio or visual – but the key is in its storytelling. It is about bringing your audience closer to the subject matter, whether through interviews or a narrative that creates an emotional arc with each scene.
Think about your audience when you first start planning your news feature – and keep them at the forefront of your mind all the way through the planning, writing and production process. They will help you find the most interesting angle for the story.
Even seemingly straight-forward subjects can have a number of different news angles to explore. For example, a plane crash might usually be reported in terms of the number of people killed but if the plane crashed but survived with no injuries it could have a whole new news angle – a kind of’miracle flight’.
You can use music to create or reinforce the atmosphere of a news feature and it can be particularly effective if you are covering an issue that has a deep, dark or serious feel to it. However, it should always be carefully balanced with the rest of the news programme, and never be allowed to overshadow the subject matter.
A news feature can also be used to profile a person or organisation. It should be based on an interview, and include a lot of biographical information such as the person’s interests, career, education and family background. A news feature can also be arranged to coincide with a specific date or event, such as an AIDS awareness day, to increase its appeal and effectiveness.